Last night I downloaded Robert Hale’s Pure and Simple album. Hale, a mainstay with Wildfire through all of their years, albums, and lineup shufflings, released Pure & Simple this past September and the album has sat in my ‘saved for later’ file since then. I didn’t notice the track listing beyond the Lightfoot cover “Did She Mention My Name” (climbing the Bluegrass Today chart, sitting at #10 this week) prior to downloading and didn’t think to listen to the album until I posted my Roots Christmas Song of the Day a bit ago.
So, while cleaning house I go into iTunes, and see the tracks sitting at the bottom of the library. Just before pressing play on the first track, I notice “Sir Duke” part way down the list. Could it be?
O, yeah. Bluegrass may never be the same. Stevie Wonder’s mid-70s classic reimagined, just a little, as a bluegrass song. Can’t find a full version online anywhere, but the sound clips at iTunes and eMusic should be enough to blow your socks off- had me up and moving from the first note.
I have the song on repeat and am listening to it for the fourth time- it is incredible! Go buy the album, or at least sample the track. This is a record that has a groove- Magic!
Donald Teplyske
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